


A Whisper, A Feeling

by starlight_and_seafire



Series: Damerey Week 2019 [7]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Family, Fluff, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-24 21:37:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21106400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlight_and_seafire/pseuds/starlight_and_seafire
Summary: The Force can tell us things, if we care to listen.(Or, the one where Rey has a secret to tell Poe.)





	A Whisper, A Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> For Damerey Week Day 7: Free Day, The Force, Photograph

Rey turns her face to the sky, closing her eyes against the bright sunshine that warms her face. She smiles, a soft and gentle thing, as she listens to the laughter and gleeful noises permeating the air as the party preparations continue.

The air on Yavin IV is as humid as ever, but luckily this day in late fall isn’t as hot as those long summer days they had just finished going through. Sometimes the unrelenting heat on Yavin IV reminded her of Jakku, but before her mind could linger too long on those harsh and lonely days, the unrelenting humidity of the jungle pulled her back to the present moment.

Then again, as her eyes pop open as a kiss is pressed to her forehead and she sees the grinning face of her husband, there are other reasons her mind doesn’t stay long in its memories of the desert.

“Whatcha thinking about, sweetheart?” Poe asks as he moves to sit next to her on the long bench.

She smiles, the private one she reserves just for him, sees his answering smile even as she feels the little pulse of emotion from him, the warmth and love she can never get enough of. She leans in and presses a short kiss to his lips before springing up. “I’m thinking it’s about time for me to get off my butt and go back to helping them out.”

“I just sat down!” Poe protests laughingly but accepts the hand she holds out to him and stands.

It’s not the right time yet, but soon she’ll tell him about the new feeling she felt in the Force recently. It’s small but now as ever-present as the sense she gets from Poe . . . or Rose or Finn or Kes, the latter two who are being directed by Rose on where to put up a poster.

“I like that one,” Poe says, grinning as he observes the large print of x-wings swooping gracefully through space. He grins at Rey. “Might have to keep that up awhile.”

Rose smiles at Poe and Rey over her shoulder while the two men, much taller than her petite 5’2” frame, hang the poster into place between two trees in the large yard. “We should probably keep an eye on Paige. I’m pretty certain she’s going to try to steal your x-wing.”

“If she can get past its security controls . . .” Poe replies, shrugging, though the corners of his eyes crinkle in amusement.

They take the bait, and Rey pokes him in the side. “She’s five, Poe.”

“Hey, I was flying at five!” he protests.

“No x-wing flights yet.” Rose glares at Poe, though the expression is easily muted by the grin that just barely tips the corners of her lips upward.

“Besides, you were in your mother’s lap at that time, so I’m not sure it exactly counts,” Kes says, clapping Poe on his shoulder as he walks past.

Poe sputters. “It counts!”

They all laugh at Poe’s indignant expression before he leaves to follow Finn to a landspeeder sitting nearby. Rey’s eyes follow the two men as they head out to grab more food and supplies, a soft smile blossoming on her face.

It’s wonderful in a way she can never quite describe but feels deeply nonetheless, to have Kes and her best friends and their growing family so close by, Finn and Rose’s house just visible across the large field, while Kes lives down the wooded path from them. She had never even heard the term father-in-law, at least not until the evening Poe had proposed, tears in his eyes as he told her how thrilled Kes would be at her acceptance.

_“I’m pretty sure you’re already his favorite child anyway, even without the ring,” he had said. “This just makes it official.”_

_She had blinked uncomprehending at the comment. But once Poe had explained it to her, the thought that she would now have two fathers, even if one was now only a presence in the Force, after being alone so long, had filled her with nothing less than joy. _

Rose’s voice breaks through her thoughts. “And what are you thinking about that’s got that expression on your face?”

Rey’s amused at having been asked that question so soon after Poe had asked essentially the same one. She knows she’s been lost in her thoughts today. She wonders exactly what’s showing on her face when they catch her. She laughs anyway. “Just thinking that Poe’s probably going to steal this idea for his next birthday.”

Rose laughs along with her. “I’m sure. You think we have enough x-wing and spaceship decorations up?” she asks, smirking as she gestures around her. In addition to the poster, there are paper ship’s hanging from tree branches and miniature models sitting on the tables. Rey knows that one of the cakes the two men will be returning with is in the shape of an x-wing too.

Last she heard, the other cake will be in the shape of a puffer pig.

“I’m pretty sure Poe would say ‘no,’ but I think Paige will be pleased.”

“Speaking of Poe,” Rose says, a mischievous gleam suddenly appearing in her eyes, and Rey jolts, wondering if she knows. But then Rose digs through a box, pulling out a stuffed animal and Rey bursts out in laughter.

Rose is holding a Kowakian monkey-lizard. The sheer manic energy that stuffed animal conveys is enough to send a shiver down Rey’s spine. She can’t quite imagine how Poe will react to it considering his now legendary distaste for the creature.

“That is fantastic!” Rey cackles. “I can’t wait to see his response.”

Rey starts digging through the box alongside Rose, setting out stuffed toys and pictures of various animals. Unlike Paige, whose interests run to the mechanical, her twin Janus is fond of all the flora and fauna that make up the galaxy.

Puffer pigs and truffle-boars are a favorite of Janus’s. So are the colorful woolamanders that fill the trees of their home world.

By the time Finn and Poe return, boxes of food filling the back seat of the landspeeder while Finn holds two cakes, Rey and Rose are giggling with mirth as they hang up the poster-collage with Janus’s favorite animals.

Rey’s never had a sister before, not till Rose. And while Rey knows she could never replace Paige – would never want to – she senses that Rose feels the same way too.

She throws an arm around Rose’s shoulder as they head over to help with the boxes, and watches as the two men laugh together as well. She has no idea what the two were discussing, but their bond is as evident and steady as the sun.

Rey grabs one of the cake boxes from Finn and they walk towards one of the long table set up for food. Once the cakes are safely set down, she opens the boxes to peer inside. “These are amazing, Finn.”

He grins, almost shyly, the way he so often does with certain things, those skills of his that have nothing to do with war or fighting but solely come out of the life he built for himself after it had ended, all those new talents he developed that have nothing to do with the First Order.

It’s that life he’s created for himself separate from the military that led to the party today. After a life of conformity, of having all individuality stamped out in service of the First Order until he had the chance to break free, he’s determined to let his and Rose’s twins decide for themselves who they are.

Some people might have had their twins share a party. After all, they share a birthday.

Instead, each child decided for themselves what the theme of their party would be. Half of everything was dedicated to each child – half of the large yard, half of the decorations, half of the table space each containing their favorite foods, and one cake for each twin.

Rey was particularly looking forward to trying the cakes. Paige loved chocolate. Janus loved the colorful, sprinkle filled vanilla kind. Rey loved both.

Poe deposits a box filled with food next to her and deposits a kiss on her cheek as well.

Then Kes pops his head out their front door, calling for Poe to help him bring the food from the kitchen out to the tables.

She follows Poe in, grinning at Kes as he puts a large bowl filled with some sort of stew in her hands. He smiles back at her, patting her on the shoulder as she and Poe walk back out with now full hands.

Between the food Finn and Poe had brought back from the Tico household and the food Kes was cooking up in Poe and Rey’s kitchen, they practically had enough to feed a village.

Which was good as most of their little village, filled with refugees and soldiers looking for homes following both wars, along with Force sensitive individuals and their families who came to train with Rey following the second, were coming out to celebrate.

The Tico twins trained with her. Rey often hoped that Finn would join them, but he was adamant about choosing his own path now that he could.

Speaking of the villagers, the first guests started arriving and Rose and Finn went off to greet them. Poe and Rey finished setting up, hoping to allow the other two plenty of time to enjoy the party. After all, it was one of the main reasons they had offered to host it at their home in the first place, so they could take care of the brunt of the prep and clean up.

Finn and Rose devoted so much time and energy to their children. It was fascinating to watch them become parents. Rey often wondered how they managed to keep things running so well.

She watched as Paige and Janus arrived with Beebee, who loved spending time with the young Tico twins, and their babysitter, an elderly woman who had watched Poe as a child, too. She smiled as Paige and Janus ran to their parents to hug them, curling her arms around her stomach to hug herself as she felt the joy of their reunion, the warmth and happiness and love flowing around them.

It was a wonder to behold.

Stacks of presents soon filled the tables, the villagers clearly intent on spoiling the twins. It was no surprise of course, with Finn and Rose and their family universally beloved in the village. Plus, the twins, born nine months after their victory over the First Order, were a reminder of all they had fought for and the joy that could once more spring forth in the galaxy.

One late night curled up in bed with Poe after she had sensed the new life forms growing in Rose, he explained the concept of victory babies to her. She laughed when he told her that Rose was probably not alone, that soon there would be plenty more life forms joining their small village considering how many other survivors had joined them there.

But he turned out to be absolutely right. And while she had no qualms about having a child when the time was right, she had known she wasn’t ready yet. So she continued down her own path, trusting in the Force, continuing to serve the galaxy and starting a new school. It wasn’t like she didn’t have a family already, not with Poe and Beebee by her side, and Kes nearby, and Finn and Rose and their twins a constant presence in her life.

“I think it’s about time we break into the food, don’t you?” Poe asks, grinning as he holds his hand out to her. She takes it, and he twirls her around and she giggles, before they walk over to join the rest of the guests in line.

“You’ve been very thoughtful today,” he whispers in her ear as they start heaping food onto their plates. “You want to talk about it?”

“Later,” she whispers back to him, a soft smile playing at her lips.

They sit with the Tico’s at one of the tables, smiling widely when Kes comes by with his camera to take a photograph of them. A moment later, he captures another picture, this time of Paige causing a pear to float from the bin of fruit at another table to her waiting hand.

“Paige! You can’t just use the Force for everything. You could’ve gotten up and grabbed it instead of making it fly over here.” Rose says, just barely managing to hide her laughter.

“But making it fly is so much cooler!” Paige protests.

Poe nods. “That’s a good point,” he says, laughing when Rey elbows him in the side.

She just rolls her eyes when he kisses her cheek again.

She reaches out and holds Poe’s hand in hers when the presents are opened, the twins giddily ripping into the wrapping paper and opening bags and boxes of gifts. By the time it’s over, Paige is running around with an x-wing model in her hand while Janus flips through an encyclopedia of all the native flora and fauna of Yavin IV while clutching a stuffed porg in his hands.

Only the cake distracts them from digging into their new presents and enthusiastically talking about and showing them to their friends. She watches while Poe and Finn light the candles, her husband eagerly directing the singing while the twins drink in the attention.

Poe brings over a slice from each cake for them, not even protesting when she takes more than her fair share from each. As they eat, she senses Janus glancing at her every once in a while, and she can’t help but wonder why. He’s been doing it all day and she studies him studying her in between bites of cake.

Janus just grins and goes back to his cake, and in the process smearing more of the frosting on his face.

As evening starts to fall and the younger kids begin to yawn and grow sleepy, the villagers start slowly heading out until it’s just her family remaining. The air is soft and warm, and she feels herself becoming drowsy as well. Rose is cradling Paige in her lap while the young one eagerly talks to her mom, sleep clearly still far away after all of the excitement of the day. She sees Finn and Poe moving boxes of presents into the landspeeder while Kes works on packing up the food, and she figures she should offer to help them out before she actually falls asleep at the table.

As she stands, she only has a moment to wonder where Janus is before she feels a familiar presence and his arms wrapping around her. She’s briefly curious as to what brought this on until he rests his head against her stomach and appears to be listening to something.

She smiles softly, wondering just what he hears. She wonders if it’s the same thing as she does. He’s always been strong in the Living Force, attuned to the living things around them, listening to the life and energy and feelings present in the moment, while his sister always seemed to be looking ahead.

She curls her arms around the small child and hugs him back until he takes a final deep breath and leans back, smiling at her, before running away to join his sister and mother.

After Kes and the Tico family return to their homes, she and Poe walk hand in hand back into their own home, Beebee going to his corner and plugging in to recharge with a little beep to wish them goodnight, while Poe goes to turn off the rest of the lights and lock up.

She has a moment alone in their bedroom and studies her face carefully in the mirror, expecting to see something there, something to signify all the upcoming changes, some indication of what Poe and Rose had seen on her face that day, but finds nothing.

She sees Poe walk in at the same time she senses him, and he comes to stand behind her and wraps his arms around her middle, resting his chin on her shoulder as he gazes at her through the reflection in the mirror.

“You’re still thinking about it,” he says. “Whatever it is.”

She sees nothing written on her face, but he still seems to sense her preoccupation. He says he’s not Force-sensitive, had shrugged off Leia’s attempts to tell him, but she knows better. He may not be as Force-sensitive as her or Leia, or Finn or the Tico twins, but the Force still clearly loves him and guides him in ways it doesn’t do for many.

She turns in his arms, cradling his face in her hands as she drinks him in.

Then she smiles as she grabs his hand with one of her own and guides it to her stomach.

“Poe, I have something to tell you.”


End file.
